Cleaning apparatus



Aug- 4, 1942 R. E. cocKRELl.

CLEANING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1939 INVENTOR ROBERT E. COCKRELLATTORNEY Patented Aug. 4, 1942 UNITED STATES FATENT GFFICE CLEANINGAPPARATUS Robert Elias Cockrell, Alton, Ill.

Application February 2, 1939, Serial No. 254,166

4 Claims.

This invention relates in general to cleaning apparatus and, moreparticularly, to a certain new and useful improvement in cleaningapparatus specially, though not exclusively, adapted for the cleaningand renovating of fringes and borders of rugs, tapestries, and the like.

My invention has for its primary objects the provision of an apparatusof the type stated which is simple in structure. which is economical inoperation and maintenance, which is conveniently portable and easilyhandled, which is capable of cleaning the marginal portions and fringesof rugs, tapestries, and the like quickly and expeditiously withoutnecessitating cleaning or otherwise manipulating the remainder of therug, tapestry, or the like, and which is highly efficient in theperformance of its stated functions.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides inthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combinationof parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view ofa cleaning apparatus embodying my present in- Vention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevational view of the cleaning apparatus;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the cleaning apparatus;

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal broken sectional View of thecleaning apparatus, taken approximately along the line 4 4, Figure 2;and

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view of the cleaning apparatus, takenapproximately along the line 5 5, Figure 2.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawing,which illustrates a preferred form of my invention, the apparatus thereshown comprises a suitably elongated tubular shell A having an upwardlypresented axially extending slot a in its cylindrical Wall I. Disposedin suitably spaced relation longitudinally of the shell A, are suitableblocks or the like 2 preferably of the shape shown in Figures 2 and 5,for supporting the shell A operatively upon a floor, table, or the like,as presently more fully appearing.

Welded or otherwise xed upon and across one end of the shell A, is anend-closure cap 3 provided preferably integrally with an outwardlyprojecting bearing-cup 4 in axial alignment with the longitudinal axisof the shell A.

Also Welded or otherwise xed upon the opposite end of the shell A, is aninternally threaded ring 5 for threadedly receiving an end-closure diskor plate E provided also preferably integrally with an outwardlyprojecting bearing sleeve 'I in axial alignment with the longitudinalaxis of the shell I and externally threaded for receiving a packing nut8.

Located within the shell A at preferably uniformly spaced points alongits length, are bearing-partitions 9, preferably three in number, eachincluding an outer ring I0 preferably of relatively soft rubber or othersuitable resilient material tightly wedged or otherwise secured alongits outer periphery against the inner surface of the shell-wall I, andan inner concentric bearing-member II preferably of hard rubber, ber, orother suitable material formed with an aperture I2 in co-axial alignmentwith, and having the same internal diametrical size as, the bearing-cup4 and the bearing-sleeve 1, all as best seen in Figure 4 and forpurposes presently more fully appearing.

Journaled at its ends in the end-cup 4 and sleeve 'I and intermediatelyextending axially through the apertures I2, is a shaft I3, upon aprojecting end-portion of which a drive-sprocket I4 is pinned orotherwise suitably secured.

Along its intermediate portion, the shaft I2 is provided withdiametrically opposed radial brush-members B each consisting of suitablebristle-tufts I5 conventionally held in position by suitable staples I6.

Circumferentially between the brushes B, the shaft I2 is provided withdiametrically opposed axially extending rubber squeegee members Cpreferably of U-section and held in position by a plurality of fasteningmembers Il inserted through the bight thereof, as best seen in Figure 5.

Suitably fixed on, and extending longitudinally across, the forwardlypresented sloping margins of the support members or blocks 2, is aface-plate 20 rounded off along its upwardly presented margin, as at 2l,in approximate registration with the adjacent margin b of the shell-slota. Hingedly mounted along the opposite margin b' of the slot a, is acover-Hap 22 of sufficient width to extend circumferentially of shell Aacross the slot a and rest at its free margin in closurewise positionupon the forward slot-margin b, all as best seen in Figure 5 and forpurposes presently more fully appearing.

Secured, as by means of bolts or other suitable fastening-members 23,upon an end-support member or block 2 and projecting angularly upwardlytherefrom, is a pair of inclined standards 24 `preferably integrallyjoined at their upper end by a cross-member 25, in turn, ypreferablyintegrally provided with an outwardly projecting arm 2S having a pair oflaterally spa-ced apertures 2l and also .preferably integrally providedwith an upwardly presented extension or bracket 2S.

Suitably journaled on the bracket Z8, is a short shaft 29 having acrank-arm extension 29a. Fixed on shaft 29, is a sprocket 3s, andtrained around the sprockets l, 3%, and extending through thearm-apertures 2l, is a shaft drive chain 3i, all as best seen in Figures2 and 3 and for purposes presently more fully appearing.

In use, the shell A is filled with any desirable soap or other cleaningsolution. Since the `projecting end-portion of the shaft I5 is sealed bythe packing-nut 8 and packing-ring 8', leakage of the cleaning solutionwill be prevented. The tapestry or rug D, the fringe CZ of which is tobe cleaned, is lifted from the floor along its fringed margin d and laidupon the facing plate E and suitably engaged by the movement-preventingpins 29a. The shell-cover 22 is then lifted, and the fringe d insertedinto and through the shellslot a in the position shown in Figure 5.Then, on actuation of the crank a, the shaft i2 and its carried brushesB will be rotariiy shifted, and as the brushes I5 rotate, the cleaningsolution Within the shell A will be swept up against the fringe d. Atthe saine time, the fringe d will be scrubbed between the inner face ofthe shell A and the brushes B. As each brush B moves away from the endof the inserted fringe d, the latter will fall against one of thesqueegee members C and be further scrubbed or cleansed by Contacttherewith. After several minutes operation, the fringe d is thoroughlyand completely cleansed upon one side, when the carpet or rug D may -bereversed and fringe-cleaning operations upon its other side continued.

It will, of course, be obvious that the amount of physical stress towhich the fringe d is exposed may be readily controlled by the rate ofrotation of the handle or crank a. Hence, even the most delicatetapestry fringes or borders may by my present apparatus be thoroughlycleaned without In addition, the cleaning solutions, which are sometimesvery expensive, may be utilized over and over again without appreciableloss until they become so saturated with dirt as to lose their cleaningeffectiveness.

It should be understood that changes and modiflcations in the form,construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of thecleaning apparatus may be made and substituted for those herein shownand described without departing from the nature and principle of myinvention. It may be added that the shell A is preferably provided witha suitable valve-controlled discharge outlet 32 for the convenientremoval of spent or used cleaning solution.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising a shell having an upwardly presentedslot for receiving rugfringe, a shaft mounted at its ends in andextending axially through the shell, a pair of diametrally opposedradial brush-members mounted on the shaft and being at their outer endsin substantial contact with the inner face of the shell for forciblybrushing the fringe against said shell-face, a pair of U-shaped somewhatresilient members mounted at their bights upon the shaft substantiallymidway between the brushes and having outwardly extending parallelleg-members substantially shorter than the brushes for beating thefringe, and means mounted exteriorly of the shell and operativelyconnected with said brush for rotating said shaft.

2. Apparatus for cleaning the fringes of rugs and the like comprising anelongated cylindrical tube having a concentric shaft journaled therein,said shaft being provided with two diametrically op-posite narrow linesof bristles extending axially along the shaft and projecting radiallyoutwardly therefrom into endwise snug-fitting abutment against the innerface of the tube for engaging a rug fringe inserted into the tube andforcing the fringe against the inner face of the tube with a scrubbingaction, and a pair of U- shaped channel members respectively affixed attheir bights to, and extending axially along, the shaft on oppositesides thereof approximately midway between the lines of bristles, saidchannel members having legs extending outwardly from the shaft and beingsubstantially shorter in length than the bristles for entanglingengagement momentarily with the extremity of the rug fringe as thefringe is released by the bristles during rotation of the shaft wherebyto impose upon the fringe edges a wringing and further scrubbing actionto insure uniform cleansing of the fringes throughout their length.

`3. A cleaning apparatus for cleansing a rug fringe in situ withoutnecessitating removal of the rug from the floor comprising an elongatedlow lying frame adapted to rest directly on the floor and having adownwardly inclined face plate adapted to extend under and lift up thefringed margin of the rug as the frame is pushed toward the rug, asolution-containing shell mounted in the frame and having an upwardlypresented slot for receiving a rug-fringe, a Vbrush mounted for axialrotation within the shell for scrubbing the fringe when the latter isdisposed within the shell for brush-engagement, an upstanding extensionon the frame and handle means mounted in the upper Yend of the extensionand connected to the brush for facilitating rotation of the brushwithout necessitating stooping or bending on the part of the operator.

4. A cleaning apparatus comprising an elongated solution-containingshell having an upwardly presented slot for receiving a rug-fringe, themargins of said slot lying in a substantially horizontal plane, a brushmounted for axial rotation in either direction within the shell, afaceplate inclined to the plane of the slot for supporting the rugadjacent the fringe when the latter is disposed within the shell forbrush-engagement, and a line of spaced pins fixed in the face-plate inoutwardly spaced relation to the slot and projecting upwardly from thefaceplate at right angles to the plane of the slot for holding the rugregardless of the direction of rotation of the brush.

ROBERT E. COCKRELL.

